When The Bow Breaks
by Elf Eye
Summary: Anomen breaks something Elrohir values very much, and now there is a rift between the two. Elfling tale in The Nameless One series.
1. Chapter 1

**Beta Reader: _Dragonfly_**

Anomen curled up on the limb of his favorite oak tree and indulged himself in feeling miserable. How, he wondered, was he supposed to have known that Elrohir would be so touchy on the subject of that bow? He never would have picked it up if he had known that Elrohir treasured it so. And how could he have known that the bow would break when he drew the string? That sort of thing could not be predicted. You would think Elrohir would understand that. Instead, Elrohir had turned pale when he came into the room and saw Anomen holding the bow, its broken end dangling from the loose string. "You wretched Sinda!" he had screamed. "You don't belong here with decent Elves! Go back to your nasty, spider-infested forest!" And the older elfling had raised his hand as if he meant to slap the smaller one. Anomen, however, had sprung aside and fled into the woods nearby.

Now it was growing late, and Anomen knew he must return to the Hall. He had been dwelling in Rivendell long enough so that he no longer necessarily tried to run away at the first sign of trouble. True, he would scamper for the safety of a tree, but at nightfall he generally would come down and make his way home with slow steps. He was just preparing to do so when he caught a slight movement in the bushes. Glorfindel stepped into view.

"I was coming back momentarily," Anomen said hastily.

"I wanted to make sure of you," Glorfindel said brusquely. "Look at those clouds. I have no mind to go tracking you in the midst of a storm."

Anomen winced. He knew he had been responsible for giving Glorfindel many a bad night. 'I make everyone unhappy', he thought guiltily.

"Glorfindel," he said, "it has been a great bother tracking me when I run away. Why do you trouble yourself?"

"Haven't really thought about it," replied Glorfindel nonchalantly, for he did not take the question seriously. "Does seem a little silly, doesn't it."

'There now', Anomen thought sadly. 'If he had thought about it, he probably wouldn't have done it'.

Head down, shoulders sagging, the elfling unhappily followed Glorfindel back to the Hall. As they entered it, Erestor caught sight of them.

"Ah hah!" he crowed. "Been running off again, has he?"

"Not this time," Glorfindel answered. "The lad was in his favorite oak tree—hardly the place he would have run to if he was trying to evade capture."

"Hmph!" snorted Erestor. "Like as not it was an oversight on his part." With that the irascible tutor strode forcefully off. He didn't quite 'stomp', of course, but he came as near to it as any Elf could.

Glorfindel and Anomen made their way to the Dining Hall and took their places at Elrond's table. Anomen usually sat next to Elrohir, but he saw that today Elrohir had switched places with Elladan. Worse, neither Elrohir nor Elladan looked at Anomen as he approached the table. Anomen sighed. This was going to be a very long, very unpleasant meal.

Elrond was not oblivious to the tension in the room. He noticed that neither Elladan nor Elrohir said a word to Anomen during the entire meal; nor did Anomen address them. In fact, Anomen very nearly went without any food, for he would not ask Elladan and Elrohir to pass him a dish; nor did either of the twins offer. At last Elrond, with neither comment nor apology, reached past the twins and handed on a platter.

After a very, very long meal, during which Anomen ate very little even after he had been provided with food, Elrond at last arose. With a great sense of relief, Anomen trailed him from the room, taking care not to come too close to either of the twins. At the door, he hesitated, not knowing whither to direct his steps. He shared a room with Elladan and Elrohir, but he dreaded going to it now. Either the twins were going to act as if he didn't exist, or they were going to gang up and torment him. He couldn't decide which would be worse and mulled over places where he might sleep. It had begun raining during dinner, so he did not wish to return to the oak tree. The stable was a welcoming place, but the twins knew that he repaired there frequently, and they might come looking for him if they were set on punishing him for breaking Elrohir's bow. Anomen considered and rejected any number of possible hiding places. The Library? No. Erestor had the disconcerting habit of arising in the middle of the night in search of a volume. The Hall of Fire? It was called that because a fire was kept burning in it day and night, so Anomen likely would be discovered by a servant mending the flame. The Armory? Anomen shuddered. The Armory was filled with rank upon rank of bows, and Anomen did not want to see even one at the moment. At last Anomen hit upon the perfect hiding place: the Kitchen.

"Elladan and Elrohir would never think to look for me in the kitchen," Anomen exulted. And he was right. There was a state of constant warfare between Cook and elflings because of the latter's frequent raids upon the food stocks. It was therefore the last place that an elfling would be expected to hide. And it had an added advantage: Anomen was beginning to feel the effects of his fast. 'I shall have plenty to eat', he said to himself as he hurried toward his intended refuge, 'and no Elladan and Elrohir to spoil my appetite'.

When he came to the Kitchen, he listened carefully. He heard no sounds.

"Washing up done, and all clear," he said with satisfaction. He crept in at the door. All was dark, but he was untroubled by that fact. He knew his way around—yes, he knew his way around very well indeed! Unerringly, he headed toward the pie safe. It opened soundlessly, its hinges having been well-oiled on previous expeditions. Inside fruit pies sat upon shelves.

"One won't be missed," he told himself, "and even if it is, the Cook can never prove that I am the culprit."

He had hit the nail on the head, of course. It was rare that the Cook caught the elflings red-handed, as it were—that is, with jam upon their fingers. So that personage could only fulminate in frustration and hope that on at least some occasions the thieves suffered from belly aches in requital of their greediness.

Grinning in the darkness, Anomen raised a piece of pie to his lips, but before he could take a bite an invisible hand fell upon his shoulder. He yelped and dropped the pie. Fortunately, a second invisible hand caught it.

"I see," said a voice, "that the Cook tells the truth when he says that an elfling or two or three have been stealing from the kitchen."

"Lor-Lor-Lord Elrond," stammered Anomen.

"Oh, so it is 'Lord Elrond' tonight, and not 'Ada'. Pray tell why that may be so?"

"Aren't you, well, aren't you angry that I am in the kitchen filching food?"

"First, even if I were angry over such a trivial matter, I would still be your Ada. Second, do you not wonder why _I_ am in the kitchen?"

"To look for me?"

"I had no idea that you were here."

The truth dawned on Anomen.

"You wanted something to eat yourself!"

"Indeed I do. I am afraid I had little appetite at dinner. I was preoccupied by a most important matter."

"You were?"

"Yes. I was very much concerned as to why all three of my sons seemed to be so unhappy, both with themselves and with one another. Do you suppose you might be able to enlighten me—over a slice of pie, of course?"

"It is all my fault, Ada."

"Wait. Let us first secure our pie. Then we will retreat to my chamber and you can tell me all about it."

In the end, they took not only an entire pie but also a great quantity of fruit, bread, and cheese, as well as plates, forks, knives, and flagons. Anomen was puzzled as to why they took so much food, as well as to why they carried off the dishes and utensils in multiples of three. He said nothing, however, and stoutly accompanied Elrond back to his chamber.

After they had satisfied their hunger, Elrond smiled encouragingly at Anomen.

"Now, ion-nîn, let us hear how you and your brothers came to have a falling out and see what can be done to mend matters."

"I broke Elrohir's bow, Ada. But not the one he uses everyday. Indeed, I have never seen him shoot this bow. For one thing, it is very tiny, not much more than a toy, really. It has been sitting in the corner of the room for ever so long. I only picked it up because it has some interesting designs carved upon it. I didn't mean to break it! But I drew the string, and, well, it did break. And when Elrohir came in and saw me holding it, he was furious. I think he would have hit me if he could have caught me."

"That is angry indeed," said Elrond gravely.

"But it was only a toy, Ada, and he never uses it. Why was he so upset?"

"That bow was a gift from his Naneth," Elrond said simply.

If Anomen had felt bad before, now he felt worse. Elrond saw the misery upon his face and put a hand upon his shoulder.

"You did not mean to break the bow, Anomen, and how could you have known that it was so special to Elrohir? After all, it sat in the corner, seemingly abandoned, and you thought that it was a toy he had outgrown."

"Even if I didn't mean to break it, I did. And now Elrohir is unhappy, and he will never forgive me. Maybe he is right—I should go back to Greenwood."

"There is no question of your going back to Greenwood," Elrond said firmly. "And I want you to listen very carefully to what you said. You said, 'Elrohir is unhappy'."

"But that's true," declared Anomen, puzzled. "Elrohir is unhappy, and I am the cause of it."

"Yes, Elrohir is unhappy. You did not say 'Elrohir is angry'."

"But he is that, too."

"True, but he is mainly unhappy, and he has no way to show it but by being angry at you. You don't see any Orcs hereabouts, do you?"

"No-oo."

"I assure you that, were any Orcs within reach, even though you are the one who broke the bow, it is the Orcs who would pay the penalty. Of course it grieves Elrohir that you have damaged something given to him by his Naneth, but he does not hate you, Anomen, and he will forgive you your trespass."

"Do you really think so?" Anomen asked hopefully.

"I do indeed. And now, if you have had enough to eat, off to bed with you."

Anomen hesitated. Elrohir might forgive him, but any reconciliation would surely not happen that very night. Anomen was no more anxious to return to his room than he had been earlier that evening.

"Ada," he begged, "can't I sleep here tonight?"

Elrond's face turned an unusual color. He rather looked as if he were blushing. Even the tips of his ears were pink.

"I am afraid not, Anomen. I am entertaining a, a guest—yes, a guest!—later this evening."

Now Anomen understood why they had taken the extra food and dishes, but he was puzzled as to why Elrond would be entertaining a guest at such a late hour. And why was the elf-lord blushing? These were interesting questions, but Anomen was forced to push the matter from his mind because he still had to solve the problem of where to sleep that night.

"I suppose I had better return to the kitchen," he said.

"No, I have a better idea," said Elrond, who had recovered his composure. "The Cook and his skivvies arrive at the kitchen at the first sign of dawn, so you would get little sleep if you hid there. As Mithrandir is not here, why don't you stay in the room set aside for his use?"

"You do not think he would mind?"

"Mind? Mithrandir? Nonsense! He is used to sleeping under hedgerows. Do you really think it would matter to him if an elfling slept in his bed one night?"

Now Anomen was grinning. No, Mithrandir wouldn't mind. He happily bade Elrond goodnight and received a kiss from him. Then he hurried off toward Gandalf's chamber. He pushed open the door and breathed in deeply. The air smelled of pipeweed. The maid had given up trying to scrub the odor out of the room, and Anomen was glad. He removed his boots and, mindful of where he was, carefully placed them in a corner. Even though Gandalf was not there, the elfling felt compelled to behave respectfully. With a sigh of satisfaction, he crawled under the quilt into the midst of the large bed. No fire had been lit in that chamber for several days, so the air was a bit damp. Anomen, however, pulled the quilt over his head and was soon cozy and drifting off into sleep. His dreams, though, were not as pleasant as he would have liked. It seemed to him that someone was creeping up on him. 'Elrohir and Elladan', Anomen thought drowsily. 'I had better get ready to fend them off'. But he seemed incapable of moving, and a great weight was on his chest. 'I am going to suffocate', he thought in a sudden panic, and he began to flail his arms and legs about.

"Whoa! whoa! WHOA!" cried a voice. The weight was lifted off his chest and the quilt pulled back. Anomen found himself staring up into the astonished face of Mithrandir.

"Well!" declared the wizard. "I thought the bed looked unaccustomedly lumpy, but it never occurred to me that it had been made up with an elfling in it! Are you alright, my lad?"

Anomen sat up groggily.

"I thought you were Elrohir and Elladan," he said in confusion.

"Elrohir and Elladan, eh?" said the wizard knowingly. "No doubt they have something to do with the fact that I return from the wild and find you occupying my bed. Isn't that so?"

"Yes, Mithrandir."

"Well, you must tell me all about it in the morning. For now, move over. I am very tired, and only a few hours remain until dawn. By the by, I must warn you that I snore—but you already know that, don't you?"

Anomen giggled.

"Everyone knows that, Mithrandir!"

"Am I that loud?"

"Yes!"

"Well, if you don't like it, you can go take your chances with Elladan and Elrohir!"

Anomen quickly assured him that he didn't mind in the least, and at long last both elfling and wizard fell into a long-delayed, and therefore very deep, sleep.


	2. Chapter 2

**Thanks to the following reviewers: **_Kel__, Fluffy's fangirls, Trinilee Greenleaf, Dragonfly, Haldir's Heart and Soul,_ and _Joee_.

**Isn't anybody going to read Recollections? Sniff.**

**Beta Reader: Dragonfly**

"Hah!" gloated Elrohir when he awoke the next morning. "Anomen didn't sleep in his bed last night. Good! I hope he never again sets foot in this room."

Elladan, who had awoken earlier, was sitting cross-legged on his bed. He held Elrohir's bow, which he examined carefully.

"Elrohir, I think we could contrive to make it look as if this bow had never been broken."

"But I would still never be able to draw it," Elrohir protested.

"True, but were you ever planning to draw it?"

"Well, no, but that's not the point, is it?"

"What is the point, Elrohir?"

"Nana gave it to me. Whenever I see it, it reminds me of her."

"Won't that be true whether it is broken or not? After all, she _still_ gave it to you."

Elrohir suddenly grew angry. "You are standing up for Anomen," he said accusingly.

"I am not standing up for Anomen," Elladan replied calmly. "He shouldn't have touched your bow without asking you first. But what I am talking about now is whether the bow, broken or no, will remind you of Nana."

"I suppose it will," Elrohir admitted.

"Good! Then you can cheer up at least a little bit, can't you?"

"I suppose I might," Elrohir conceded reluctantly. "But I am still angry at Anomen," he added quickly.

"I am not telling you not to be angry at Anomen," Elladan replied. "Although," he said, as if thinking aloud, "when you are angry at Anomen, you are unhappy. I don't like to see you unhappy, but you _will_ be as long as you are angry. So perhaps you ought to stop being angry at Anomen—just for your sake, mind you, or maybe for mine."

"I suppose there is some sense in what you say," Elrohir agreed grudgingly. "My head hurts dreadfully, and I suppose it is because I am angry. And my chest aches, too. I don't like feeling so miserable. And I don't mean to make _you_ miserable."

"There, you see: you mustn't be angry at Anomen because you are making yourself sick and me miserable."

"But, Elladan, how am I to stop being angry? I can't just decide not to be angry."

"I don't see why not, Elrohir. Is there any reason a person can't make up his mind to leave off being angry at someone?"

Elrohir considered this idea. "No-o," he said after awhile. "No, I suppose if a person doesn't _want_ to be angry at someone, well, there is nothing that can _force_ him to be angry."

"Nor nobody. Anomen can't _make_ you be angry at him."

"Certainly not! I'd like to see him try!"

"So we are agreed? Anomen can't make you be angry at him, not if you won't let him."

"Right you are," declared Elrohir stoutly. "Anomen is not going to make me do anything I don't want to!" Suddenly he looked at Elladan in amazement. "I feel much better," he said in a wondering voice.

"Good!" declared Elladan. "For I am getting hungry, and I want my breakfast!"

Elrohir threw a pillow at him.

"What a loving brother you are! Here I thought that you were concerned for my well-being, and I find that you merely wanted something to eat!"

"I never said I was _only_ concerned for your well-being. I don't want to see _either_ of us unhappy—and missing breakfast would greatly sadden me, particularly as the Cook is making it harder and harder to filch food from the Kitchen."

The two arose and dressed and made their way toward the Dining Hall. By the time they reached it, Elrohir was in such a magnanimous mood that he declared his intention of sitting next to Anomen. "And I will speak to him, too," he said grandly. But to his chagrin, Elrohir soon realized that where he sat or whether he spoke to the younger elfling mattered not in the least. As soon as the twins entered the Dining Hall, they saw that Gandalf had arrived unexpectedly during the night. Anomen had somehow gotten wind of it, and now he stood at Gandalf's elbow handing the wizard dishes before the Istar could even open his mouth to request them. In his eagerness to serve the wizard, the elfling quite neglected his own plate until Elrond gently told him to take his seat.

"Anomen," said the elf-lord, "you do not wish our guest to suffer indigestion, as he may if he is so polite as to eat everything that you have offered him. I suggest that you attend to your own breakfast before adding anything further to Mithrandir's."

Anomen retreated to his seat, but he was so excited that he scarcely heard Elrohir bid him good morning. 'His' wizard was back, and he had quite forgotten his difficulties with Elladan and Elrohir.

Not too surprisingly, Elrohir was soon unhappy again. In fact, in short order, he found himself suffering from a very bad case of jealousy. In some ways Elrohir was quite the possessive young Elf. In fact, that somewhat explains his fury at Anomen's having damaged the bow. But his possessiveness extended to people as well as objects. Gandalf had brought Anomen to Rivendell and entrusted him to Elrond, and had Elrohir been a more mature elfling, he would have accepted that Gandalf would have a continuing interest in the foundling. But to Elrohir, Anomen was 'their' foundling. He resented any time that the wizard 'stole', attention that, from the elfling's point of view, should have rightfully been directed toward Elrohir and Elladan. Perhaps, too, Elrohir had an unspoken fear that Gandalf would take Anomen away from Rivendell someday. Elrond had noticed that Elrohir was always edgy whenever Gandalf visited, and this edginess would last until Anomen had settled back into the daily routine and given no sign of absconding to follow the wizard.

Of course, Elrohir did not know that he was jealous. He simply thought that he was indignant at Anomen's 'ingratitude'.

"Imagine," he fumed later to Elladan, "here I was ready to forgive the little wretch. He broke the bow my Naneth gave me, but was I going to hold it against him? No, indeed! I was going to be kind to him and let him back into my good graces. But does he care? No! The little Orc! See if I will ever speak to him now!"

"Elrohir," Elladan replied patiently, "I don't see how you can blame Anomen. Last night he was too afraid of you to sleep in his own bed. So of course he's gone running to Mithrandir at the first opportunity. Treat him nicely tonight, and I am sure you will soon be friends again."

With words such as these, Elladan at length succeeded in calming Elrohir, who increasingly looked forward to the evening, when Anomen presumably would return to the chamber that they shared. Elrohir would never have admitted it, but he was fiercely attached to Anomen. So, you see, his 'possessiveness' was not entirely a bad thing.

Unfortunately for Elrohir, however, Anomen had no intention of sleeping that night in his own bed. Instead, he wheedled his way back into Mithrandir's chamber. As the elfling didn't take up much space, the wizard had no particular objection. Moreover, Anomen neither snored nor kicked. All told, he was not an unpleasant sort of bedfellow. Gandalf had had much worse—there was that Dwarf, now, whose snoring had brought down a band of Orcs upon the sleepers. Besides, Gandalf rarely had an opportunity to inquire minutely into Anomen's doings, but now they would have time to talk abed early in the morning and late at night, when there was no one to disturb them.

Thus it was that, as Elrohir waited hopefully in his room, Anomen curled up next to Gandalf and treated the wizard to a full recitation of his every adventure, not omitting the capture of a single crawfish.

By and by, Elrohir realized that Anomen would not be returning to their chamber that night. Elladan had fallen asleep long ago, and Elrohir lay listening to the silence. Every night, before Anomen fell asleep, and every morning, when he first awoke, he would sing softly to himself. Now the chamber echoed with the absence of that melody. Elrohir pulled his quilt over his head so that he could cry without awakening his twin.

The next morning, though, Elladan knew at once how Elrohir had passed his night.

"What am I to do," Elrohir said mournfully. "I want to be Anomen's friend, but I can't prove that to him if he is never about."

"We have got to contrive to bring him out of Mithrandir's room," Elladan said thoughtfully.

"But how are we to do that?" cried Elrohir.

"He would have to leave if Mithrandir didn't want him there."

"But Mithrandir _does_ want him there."

"He wouldn't if Anomen troubled him in some way."

"But Anomen _doesn't _trouble him—that's the problem."

Elladan thought very hard for a long time.

"Do you remember," he said at last, "the very last time Ada ever let us sleep in his bed?"

Elrohir blushed.

"Yes," he admitted. "I guess that night I drank too much water before bedtime."

"I guess you did," grinned Elladan. "Do you remember Ada's face when he woke up?"

"I thought he had lost his eyebrows altogether," replied Elrohir, who now broke into a grin himself. "Are you suggesting that we convince Anomen to drink a great deal of water before bedtime?"

Elladan shook his head.

"No. He is older than you were then, and he would probably have the sense to get up and use the chamber pot."

"Then what do you have in mind?" Elrohir asked, puzzled.

"Sometime during the night, you must creep into Mithrandir's chamber. Bear with you a kettle of water—it must be warm, mind you, or Anomen will wake up straight away. Slowly drizzle it into the bed by Anomen's bottom. When Mithrandir wakes up damp and sees the puddle under Anomen, be sure that he will send him packing!"

"What a marvelous idea," exclaimed Elrohir. "And when Anomen returns in disgrace to our chamber, we will be ever so kind to him, and he shall be grateful, and we shall soon be the greatest of friends. I wish it were already nightfall so that we might put this plan into effect!"

At dinner time, Elrond looked hard at Elladan and Elrohir. Why, he wondered, were the twins so excited. He knew that Elrohir had been upset at being 'neglected' by Anomen. What had caused him to now suddenly become so happy? The elf-lord sighed. No doubt he would soon know the cause of the transformation, albeit only in time to address the aftermath of whatever jape the twins were planning.

Much later that night, when all was still in Rivendell, Elrohir and Elladan silently slipped out of their room and crept through the corridors until they stood outside the door to Mithrandir's chamber. They listened carefully.

"They are surely asleep," Elladan whispered after awhile. He eased the door open, and, Elrohir, bearing with him a kettle, slipped in. He carefully crept alongside Anomen's side of the bed. Crouching on the floor, he lifted the kettle and began to drizzle the water onto the bed next to Anomen's bottom. Anomen stirred and murmured a little. Elrohir froze. Anomen sighed, turned over, and seemed to fall back into a deep sleep. As for Gandalf, he made no sign, although Elrohir knew that the wizard no doubt was sleeping with eyes half open. Still, the wizard lay with his back to Elrohir, so, as soon as the elfling was sure that Anomen would not awake, he resumed slowly wetting the sheets beneath Anomen. When he was finished, he crept away again, being sure to bear away the kettle with him. When he rejoined Elladan, the two hurried back to their room, where they spent the rest of the night congratulating themselves.

Meanwhile, the water had soaked through Anomen's nightshirt and was spreading onto Gandalf's side of the bed. It had grown cool by the time the dampness touched the skin of the wizard, and since, unlike Anomen, he had not slowly become accustomed to its feel, he awoke at once. He sat up and with a wave of his hand lit a candle.

"What's this?" he cried in dismay. "Has the Bruinen overflowed its banks?"

Now Anomen sat up. To his horror, he realized that his side of the bed was wetter than Gandalf's and that the puddle seemed to be centered under his bottom. He looked shamefacedly at the wizard.

"I am sorry, Mithrandir," he said miserably. "I had better go sleep in my own chamber."

The elfling looked so sad that Gandalf at once forgot his discomfort.

"That's alright, my lad," he said kindly. "I have been drenched in fouler liquids, I assure you! Here now, you just slip out of that nightshirt and into my tunic. As for myself, I can sleep in my robe—I've done it often enough!"

The two removed their nightdresses and changed, and then Gandalf gathered up the wet sheets, eased open the door, and looked up and down the corridor. Seeing no one about, he stole toward the Laundry. "Odd," he muttered as he made his stealthy way toward his destination. "One would expect these sheets to have a more pungent smell. Hmm, I wonder…."

He reached the Laundry, stuffed the sheets into a basket of dirty linen, and helped himself to a fresh set. Then he stole back toward his chamber. After he let himself in, he took the precaution of bolting the door after him, for he still thought something was not quite right. Then, with Anomen's help, the bed was quickly made up again, and elfling and wizard once again settled themselves under the quilt, taking care to sleep with heads at the footboard so as to keep the damp portion of the mattress as far away from them as possible.

The next morning, Gandalf did not go to breakfast straightway. "You go on ahead," he said to Anomen. "I have something to do. I will catch up with you shortly."

After Anomen had left the chamber, Gandalf made his way to Elladan and Elrohir's room. The door was ajar. He peered in and saw that no one was about. Quickly he slipped inside. Upon a table sat an ewer of water. He pointed his staff at it and murmured some words. Then he hastened to rejoin Anomen in the Dining Hall.

When Anomen entered the Dining Hall without Mithrandir, Elladan and Elrohir exchanged delighted glances. They were a little puzzled, however, as to why Anomen looked so happy. They soon understood the reason when Gandalf arrived and took his place beside Anomen. The wizard was a cheerful as the elfling, and there seemed to be no change in the way one addressed the other. In some unexpected fashion, Elladan and Elrohir's plan had failed.

At the conclusion of breakfast, Anomen, chattering gaily, followed Mithrandir from the room. The downcast and baffled twins, meanwhile, dragged themselves off to the archery fields. There, between practice shots, they discussed the situation.

"Do you suppose Mithrandir failed to notice the dampness?" Elladan said.

"I don't see how that is possible," replied Elrohir. "I poured an entire kettle onto the mattress, and you know that dampness will spread until it covers a wide area."

"Mithrandir is used to sleeping rough," mused Elladan. "Perhaps he noticed the dampness, but it did not trouble him."

"That must be it," agreed Elrohir. "We shall have to hit upon another device—something whose results will be more disgusting. I think," he continued, "that we must get Anomen to eat something that will make him sick to his stomach. The mess that follows would surely be more than Mithrandir could bear."

"Oh, no!" exclaimed Elladan. "We shouldn't give Anomen anything that would make him sick. What if he should eat too much of it and became gravely ill."

"You're right," conceded Elrohir. "I don't wish to do anything that might truly harm Anomen. We shall have to think of something else."

This conversation was interrupted by the arrival of Glorfindel, who had come to check on their progress. Unfortunately, as the twins had been distracted, they really hadn't made much progress to speak of; the balrog slayer therefore proceeded to 'ride herd' on them for the remainder of the day. Thus they had no chance to plot further until bedtime. But then something occurred to further distract them.

When they arrived at their chamber, they changed into nightdresses and sat cross-legged on Elrohir's bed to plot their next move. The table with the ewer was right next to this bed, and first Elrohir and then Elladan poured himself a little water, for their throats became dry with talking. After taking a few sips, each realized that he was really quite thirsty. Elrohir gulped the rest of his water and refilled his mug to the very brim. "Leave some for me," protested Elladan. "I'm thirsty, too."

Between the two of them, they soon polished off the entire jug of water. Then they found themselves to be quite tired.

"Let us talk more in the morning," yawned Elrohir. "I am weary past speech."

The two lay down, each in his own bed, and soon both were deep in dreams that, when they compared notes later, were remarkably similar. Elladan dreamed that he was soaking in a tub of warm water. As for Elrohir, he thought himself to be paddling about in the soothing waters of a hot spring that he had once visited whilst on a journey to Lothlórien. Then, as dreams do, the scenes suddenly shifted. Elladan found himself in the icy waters of the Bruinen, and to Elrohir it seemed as if he were suddenly swimming in melt water from a glacier. Both awoke simultaneously to find themselves damp and shivering. And this time there was no doubt about it: the sheets were pungent.

"Elrohir," said Elladan miserably, "don't you think it rather odd that this should have happened after what we did the night before? You don't suppose it could be a coincidence, do you?"

"With a wizard in the Hall? I think not!"

"I rather suspect it was the water in that ewer."

"Yes," agreed Elrohir mournfully. "I am sure you are right."

"We had better get rid of these sheets, or we shall hear it from the maid."

"I could bear that," replied Elrohir, "but, worse, she is going to tell the tale to each and every one of her friends—she could talk the ear off a Perian, that one."

Like Gandalf the night before, the elflings gathered up the sheets and slipped out the door, hoping to reach the Laundry unobserved. Ai! Elrond was still suspicious of his sons. Finding himself awake and restless, he had decided to pass the night in patrolling the corridors. The Head Laundress had told him that someone had paid a surreptitious visit to the Laundry just the previous night, and as the twins left their chamber, it just so happens that Elrond was directing his steps toward the Laundry wing. Coming from separate directions, elflings and elf-lord stepped into the vestibule of the Laundry at one and the same time. And, as Elrohir was to say later, Elrond 'lost his eyebrows again' at the sight—and smell—of the damp sheets.

"Well," he said as he fought for control of his facial hair, "I know that you are twins and tend to do everything alike, but, really, must you _both_ burden the laundresses with extra washing, and on the selfsame evening?"

"Um, we each drank a great quantity of water before going to bed," Elladan said lamely.

"There is of course a jug of water in your chamber lest you become thirsty. There is also, however, a chamber pot. If you repair to one, it is expected that you will repair to the other."

"Yes, Ada," both twins said meekly.

"I wonder," continued Elrond, "if you ought to visit your grandparents in Lothlórien, as I had been intending. I should not like Celeborn and Galadriel to think—"

"It won't happen again!" Elrohir interrupted frantically. "Truly, it won't!"

"I hope not. Perhaps," mused Elrond, "I could ask Mithrandir to prepare some potion or powder that would guard against any further incidents."

Elladan and Elrohir exchanged alarmed glances. They could only imagine what Gandalf would concoct if given such an opportunity.

"Ada," Elladan said solemnly, "I think it would represent more of an accomplishment if Elrohir and I solved this problem on our own."

Elrond considered for a moment. "Yes," he said at last. "You are right. You won't always have a wizard around to address this sort of thing. Very well. See to the matter on your own."

Elladan and Elrohir humbly thanked their father, stuffed the dirty linen into a basket, and returned to their room with clean sheets.

"That was a near escape!" exclaimed Elladan as he settled himself at the dry end of his mattress. "We had better never again tamper with Mithrandir's bedding!"

"True. We shall have to find some other way of prying Anomen away from him."

"Elrohir," cried Elladan, aghast. "Surely you don't intend to try again! I think we should simply wait until Mithrandir departs Rivendell. After all, he never stays long. And when he is gone, Anomen surely will return to our chamber."

Elrohir, however, was becoming more and more fearful of losing the younger elfling. Long and fruitlessly Elladan argued. Elrohir would not give way. At last Elladan grudgingly agreed to help his twin, but he was dreadfully fearful of what Gandalf would do next. "I hope Elrohir and I are not soon both in nappies," he muttered to himself as at long last he fell into a fitful sleep populated by cloth triangles that pursued him as doggedly as any Warg.


	3. Chapter 3: Great Minds Think Alike

**_Clover:_ I'm afraid there won't be much action in this chapter, either, but I will contrive to insert some in a later chapter. Given Anomen and the twins' track record, that shouldn't be too difficult!**

**_Fluffy's_****_ fangirls:_ Thank you. By the way, does your screen name have something to do with Hagrid's three-headed dog in the first Harry Potter book?**

**_Kel_****: When push comes to shove, Elrohir does love Anomen.**

**_Natalie: _The elfling stage provides endless opportunities for chaos, confusion, and comedy.**

**_Haldir's Heart and Soul:_ Right. Elrohir really hasn't figures out the best way to win friends and influence people, at least as far as Anomen is concerned!**

**_Opalkitty:_**** Thank you. I hope you enjoy this chapter as well.**

**_Trinilee_****_ Greenleaf:_ Yes, Elrohir is possessive, but in the end his possessiveness, unlike Saruman's, will not turn out to be a force for evil.**

Beta Reader: _Dragonfly_

The next day, Elrohir returned at once to the subject of getting rid of Gandalf.

"We need to decoy that wretched wizard away from Imladris," he declared to Elladan.

Elladan was no happier than he had been the night before, and he once again tried to dissuade his twin from taking on the irascible Istar.

"Elrohir! You know the proverb: 'Do not meddle in the affairs of wizards, for they are subtle and quick to anger'."

Elrohir waved off the objection. "If we trick him into leaving Imladris, he won't be around. So how could he possibly get at us? It doesn't make sense!"

"Elrohir, I think the whole point of being a wizard is that one can do things that don't make sense. I mean, magic wouldn't be magic if that weren't so. It is sort of like 'faith'. Remember how Erestor explained that one day? He told us a Man once said, 'I believe because it is absurd'. Erestor said that meant, if you believe something that can be explained easily enough, then where's the faith in that? Well, if magic made sense, it wouldn't be magic, would it?"

Elrohir made a gagging sound.

"Elladan, _must_ you talk philosophy at a time like this? Mithrandir is stealing Anomen's affection, and perhaps he will steal him away altogether! Is that what you want: Anomen wandering the wilds in the company of a wizard who is on a mission to save Middle-earth?"

"Actually," said Elladan, "that sounds lovely." "I wonder," he added hopefully, "if Mithrandir would take us, too."

Elrohir gagged again.

"Elladan, stop talking nonsense, and let us get down to business."

Elladan sighed. "Very well. How are we to decoy him away?"

"Nothing easier. We must come rushing into the Hall and report seeing some creature that Mithrandir desperately wants to track."

"A Troll?"

"Mithrandir has no interest in Trolls."

"An Orc?"

"An ordinary Orc won't do. They're fourteen a farthing."

"A balrog?"

Elrohir shook his head.

"A balrog would bring out Glorfindel, who would soon discover the ruse. Then we would be polishing shields for, oh, about a century, I reckon."

The twins sat thinking intensely.

"I have an idea," Elladan said at last.

"_An_ idea!" japed Elrohir. "That sounds about right!"

Elladan ignored the gibe.

"Elrohir, do you remember when Mithrandir came back from that journey he went on with thirteen Dwarves and a Perian?"

"Yes, I do. He had many a tale to tell in the Hall of Fire! The ones about the Perian were particularly delightful."

"Indeed! He gave a droll account of the Perian's escaping from a Goblin redoubt somewhere beneath the Misty Mountains."

"Oh, yes. I remember that. There was an odd creature in it. Mithrandir said that he had had to piece together a description of it, as the Perian was not very forthcoming."

"Yes! And he said he should very much like to meet that creature again."

The two elflings grinned one at the other.

"Well, then," chortled Elrohir, "let us contrive to bring about a meeting. Now we must try to remember the description."

"Small as a Perian," Elladan said promptly.

"Ears like a Perian's," added Elrohir.

"Naked save for a breech clout."

"Scrawny."

"Bad teeth."

"Scanty hair."

"Crawls about on his hands and feet."

"Hisses."

By now Elrohir himself was gleefully crawling about on hands and feet, his bottom waggling in the air. Elladan gave a shout of laughter and threw himself down on the floor as well. Down the corridor, Anomen heard their giggles as he approached the chamber. He had come to collect clean clothes, but now he slowed to a halt. 'They have a very good time when I am not about', he thought wistfully to himself. 'I had better not disturb them. Perhaps later, when they are out, I can slip in and get my things'.

With that, he sadly wandered off and threw himself down in the garden, lying on his back and gazing up at the clouds. Gandalf was closeted with Elrond and Glorfindel, and Anomen felt very lonely.

'I wish I could be with Mithrandir always', he said to himself. "Whatever shall I do when he leaves? And as he is with Elrond right now, he is probably planning to depart very soon. He always goes over maps with Elrond before he sets out again. If only I could find some way to convince him to stay!'

He thought very hard for a very long time.

'If there were something hereabouts that was of great interest to him, he would stay to investigate it'.

Anomen ran over in his mind all that Gandalf had talked about during the time of their acquaintance.

'He talks more about the Periannath than any other thing', he said to himself. 'But it wouldn't do to remind him of _that_, for he would leave straightaway and journey to their land!'

Anomen stood up and began to pace back and forth.

"If only there were a Perian in Imladris," he exclaimed. "But from what Mithrandir says, it is very rare for them to venture far from their homes. There was one, of course, who went forth in the company of thirteen Dwarves. He has long since returned to his land, however."

Anomen suddenly paused in his pacing.

"Wait a bit!" he cried. "Mithrandir has talked about a creature _like_ a Perian, one that the true Halfling encountered on his journey. I remember Mithrandir told Elrond that he suspected the creature would soon come forth from his lair under the Misty Mountains. And I remember he said he very much hoped to meet him when he did! What if I were to tell Mithrandir that the creature were lurking about Imladris? He would stay in hopes of encountering it! Yes, that is what I shall do! I shall say that I saw a creature in a tree—and that would be true, too, for I am always seeing _some_ creature in a tree! It must be in a tree, for that shall explain why no one will find any tracks. Now, then, if I am quite careful, I shall be able to give Mithrandir the impression that the creature is the one he very much wants to see. I truly have seen skinny creatures and small ones, creatures with scanty hair and bad teeth and those that crawl about on all fours and those that hiss. If he will put those things together, he will come up with the creature if he is as eager to find him as I think he is. And then he will remain in Imladris!"

While Anomen was devising this plan, the twins were putting the finishing touches on their own scheme.

"We must tell Mithrandir that we saw the creature in the shallows of the Bruinen," opined Elrohir. "Then, when he finds no tracks, it will be perfectly explainable."

"Grand! Now let's go tell him!" exclaimed Elladan, who had completely forgotten his misgivings.

"No, you troll-brain! First we must go to the Bruinen and back. If he doesn't see our tracks leading to and fro the river, he may grow suspicious."

"So we go to the river, we don't see anything, but we go back and say that we do?"

"Right," said Elrohir.

"But we must have a reason to go to the river."

"Um, we are tired of venison, and we want to hunt duck."

"Elrohir, the flocks have flown south."

"Oh, yes. Ah, I know: we can fish.

"Excellent! But we will have to wait until tomorrow."

"Why?"

"It is a little late to set out on a fishing expedition, isn't it?"

At dinner that night, the conspirators, although hungry, pretended to find the meal little to their liking. After watching them push their meat about the plate, Elrond asked them why they had so little appetite.

"Oh, Ada," groaned Elrohir, "it is so very boring to eat venison day in and day out."

"Yes," Elladan chimed in. "We have been eating venison for an eternity."

"And I hope you shall live to eat it for another eternity," replied Elrond. "But the Cook varies the preparation, so I do not know why you have suddenly grown so tired of it. Howsoever, if you really find it so dreadful, I can have the Cook chaffer with the Dunlendings for a pig or two."

Elladan and Elrohir shuddered. Dwarfs ate pork; Elves, as a general rule, did not.

"Ada," ventured Elrohir, "fish is much nicer than pork, don't you think?"

"True, but the Dunlendings are no fishers."

"Of course not," Elrohir replied quickly, "for they haven't got such a nice river as our Bruinen."

Elrond's eyebrows arched. The icy cold Bruinen was not usually referred to as a 'nice' river. Still, trout were often seen breaking its surface, and Elrond could not deny that the thought of a nicely browned fish was appealing after months of venison, no matter how well prepared.

"If you have such a great desire for fish, you may spend tomorrow casting lines into the Bruinen." He turned to Anomen. "You may go as well," he said.

"Oh, no thank you, Ada," Anomen said quickly. "I think I shall go to the forest to, to, to—collect acorns! Yes, I shall collect a great quantity of acorns, and so, if our stores run short this winter, we shall be able to make flour of them and so stave off hunger! Yes, that's it! Why, Glorfindel says that in a pinch acorns can be stewed!"

Elrond's eyebrows crept a little higher. It had been hundreds of years since Elves had faced such hard times as to be reduced to eating acorns. 'I suppose', Elrond said to himself, 'that this has something to do with the quarrel between Anomen and the twins. Anomen has seized the first excuse that has come to mind to avoid going with them to the river. He probably fears Elrohir will push him in—which is not altogether out of the realm of possibility, I am afraid!'

Elrond considered whether he ought to insist upon Anomen's going but then decided to give the elflings time to work matters out on their own.

"Very well, Anomen," he said. "You may spend the morrow gathering acorns."

It was three very happy elflings who went to bed that night, the twins in their chamber and Anomen in Gandalf's. Each was certain that the next day would see the most desirable of outcomes to Mithrandir's sojourn at Imladris. The twins were sure that the wizard would depart, and Anomen was equally sure that he would remain. Obviously, Anomen and the twins could not both get their wishes. The question, however, was whether anyone would.


	4. Chapter 4: Corroborating Evidence

**_Dragonfly:_ Yes, the twins are definitely out of their league, taking on Gandalf this way.**

_Haldir's Heart and Soul:_ Of course, if their plan works, that might not necessarily be a good thing!

**_Fluffy's_****_ fangirls:_ The outcome may not be what the twins expect.**

_Silverstreak__ Wolf:_ But if things 'come out nicely', it wouldn't be an interesting story, would it?

_Clover: _I suppose it all depends on how you define 'action'!

_Kel_: When it comes to mischief, Anomen and the twins think along the same lines.

_Opalkitty:_ Sometimes I start out without chapter titles but then they start to occur to me. I do think you are right; it is better to have them.

_Joee_: Several people have told me I need to update the listing on the profile page, and I know that's true. I'm procrastinating because I have now posted a total of fifty stories, so it's actually going to be quite a task to sort them all out. But I swear that I will get to it before the end of summer.

Beta Reader: _Dragonfly_

**Corroborating Evidence**

Elladan and Elrohir were making their way southward, toward the Bruinen, and Elladan, who was trailing behind Elrohir, was having second thoughts about their scheme.

"Elrohir," he said, "we are going to be lying, and not only to Mithrandir but to Ada!"

It was to the credit of Elrohir that this had occurred to him as well, although it is not to his credit that he was trying very hard to suppress the notion. Now, however, Elladan had forced the matter into the open. Elrohir slowed down until he was walking beside his twin.

"It is not much of a lie," he said.

"Not much of a lie!" exclaimed Elladan. "We will be sending Mithrandir off on a Dwarf's errand like a hoarder in hopeless pursuit of treasure stolen by a dragon!"

"If we are careful," Elrohir said craftily, "we needn't lie at all."

"How is that possible?" challenged Elladan.

"We must choose our words wisely so that we affirm nothing."

"What do you mean?" asked a puzzled Elladan.

"Why, Elladan!" exclaimed Elrohir, pretending to be surprised. "_You_ are the one who so loves philosophy! I am surprised the solution has not occurred to you. If I were to say, 'I did such and such', I would be making a claim, wouldn't I? And a claim can be either true or false."

"Ye-es," replied Elladan.

"But," continued Elrohir, "if I say 'I _may_ have done such and such', I am _not_ making a claim but merely speaking hypothetically—and I could never be said to lie if I couch my sentences in such words. There now, what say you, O Great Thinker?"

Elladan mulled over this idea.

"So we rush into the Hall shouting that there may be a curious creature in the Bruinen and trust that no one pays careful attention to the verb?"

"Yes! And as it is always true that there _may_ be a curious creature in the Bruinen, we won't be telling a falsehood. Then, if Mithrandir chooses to act upon our words, so much the worse for him! We will never have said that there _was_ a creature in the Bruinen."

"But our intentions," Elladan began.

"Bother our intentions! The fact of the matter is that we shan't have told an actual lie."

"Intentions matter," argued Elladan. "We shall have knowingly deceived Mithrandir and Ada because we knew how our words would be taken."

"Is it our fault if someone is so careless as to mistake our words and reach a false conclusion? Don't you think that Mithrandir and Ada have a responsibility to listen carefully? After all, that's what they are always telling _us_."

This latter statement was true of course, as Elladan well knew. From an early age, even before they could speak, elflings were adjured to listen carefully. Indeed, it may be that the much-vaunted hearing of the Elves resulted from little more than this careful training up of the young. Perhaps the same could be said of the other senses, such as eyesight, as well.

Elladan found that he could not think of a reply to Elrohir's argument, so he fell into a gloomy silence and once again found himself trailing unhappily behind his brother.

The same problem that had occurred to the twins had of course entered Anomen's mind the previous day, and his solution had been no less devious than that of the twins. As he stole through the forest, he looked about anxiously for a squirrel, as he had resolved that this animal would do nicely as a stand-in for Gandalf's creature.

'It is certainly smaller than a Perian, and it has pointed ears, too. It goes about on all fours, although it can arise and support itself upon two. A squirrel doesn't have molars like ours, so I can truthfully say that I saw only a few pointy teeth. In a pinch, a squirrel can hiss, even if he is more inclined to chatter angrily. Now as to being skinny and scantily haired, I must keep my eyes open for an old or ailing squirrel that is thin and mangy'.

Anomen threw himself into the search, making full use of his excellent elven hearing and vision. Moving stealthily, he observed and dismissed many a candidate. Only a squirrel that was correct in every particular would do. It is a pity that in this matter Anomen and Elrohir did not know how akin they were one to another. Both were setting out to do wrong, and both were going to a great deal of trouble in order to justify themselves in similar fashion. If they had known how much they had in common, perhaps they wouldn't have needed to resort to such stratagems in the first place. However, they did not know, and as Anomen searched the forest for his squirrel, Elrohir and Elladan drew nearer and nearer to the Bruinen. At last they stood upon its banks and gazed upon its wide expanse.

"The Bruinen is a very great river," Elrohir observed at last.

"True," agreed Elladan.

"It passes through many lands."

"Also true."

"Seeing that it is such a great river, I suspect that at this very moment there _is_ a creature in it."

"Oh, to be sure," retorted Elladan sarcastically, "there is _a_ creature in it somewhere along its length."

"You see," crowed Elrohir, ignoring Elladan's sarcasm, "it shall be impossible for us to lie."

Elladan tried to raise his eyebrows in imitation of their father but only succeeded in crossing his eyes. The two young Elves turned back toward Rivendell, one exceedingly triumphant, the other downcast in equal measure. Still, Elladan was nothing if not loyal, and when the time came, he would play the role expected of him.

Meanwhile, Anomen had at last spied a squirrel that he thought might do. It was a tottering old creature, as scrawny and mangy a beast as had ever crept through the canopy. Indeed, as Anomen examined it, he stood anxiously beneath its branch, fearful lest it plummet to the earth and perish before the elfling could testify as to its existence. But happily for the young Elf, it 'hung on' long enough for Anomen to assure himself that the creature fit the bill of particulars. Having convinced himself of this, he bent his steps toward Imladris.

As Anomen neared the Hall, Gandalf was in the library, in company with Elrond, who was sharing with him some dispatches that had just arrived from Lothlórien.

"So that pass has lately become infested with Orcs," the wizard murmured. "Pity. It's the most direct route."

"True, and Celeborn's folk will sweep them away in due course."

"Yes, but not in time for my needs. As you have said, they must first tend to their southern border, which is most exposed to danger. Well, well, I shall take this other pass."

"A Troll has lately set up housekeeping in a cave thereabouts."

"Oh, a Troll." Gandalf waved his hand dismissively. "One can easily elude a Troll. I have never suffered from their depredations."

"Have a care, Mithrandir," warned Elrond. "Overconfidence has been the downfall of many a Man."

"But I am no Man. Besides, would any self-respecting Troll bother with my scrawny carcass? What Troll would want to go to the trouble of picking my bones, not when there are still juicy Dwarves blundering about?"

Before Elrond could answer, a loud pounding was heard at the door. Elrond leaped to his feet. "Enter!" he cried, wondering what calamity had befallen Imladris. The door banged open, and in staggered Anomen, unaccustomedly disheveled, for the elfling had thought that it would heighten the impression he would make if he thrashed his way through a thicket or two.

"Anomen!" cried Elrond and Gandalf in unison, each equally alarmed. "Are you injured?"

"Not injured," panted Anomen, aiming, once again, for the greatest effect. "The creature did not lay a hand upon me."

"Creature?" said Gandalf.

Anomen recited rapidly.

"Small as a Perian ears like a Perian's naked scrawny bad teeth scanty hair crawls about on his hands and feet hisses. I saw it in a tree," he added.

Now Gandalf was on his feet, his eyes gleaming, his hands clenching and unclenching spasmodically. "Repeat yourself," he demanded urgently.

"SmallasaPerianearslikeaPeriansnakedscrawnybadteethscantyhaircrawlsaboutonhishandsandfeethisses."

"Oh ho!" exulted Gandalf. "Within my reach! Within my reach! And I shall not even have to venture into the mountains!"

Elrond looked hard at Anomen. He knew that the elfling very much wanted Gandalf to stay in Imladris and suspected his tale was some sort of ruse.

"Odd that none of the scouts have come across signs of this creature," he said skeptically.

"But it was in the canopy," Anomen said desperately, "leaping from tree to tree in a northerly direction."

"Straight toward us," he added.

Elrond opened his mouth to question Anomen more closely when suddenly the twins burst into the room without bothering to knock.

"Ada! Ada!" they shrieked, "a dreadful creature may be found in the Bruinen!"

"Small as a Perian," shouted Elrohir.

"Ears like a Perian's," cried Elladan.

"Naked save for a breech clout."

"Scrawny."

"Bad teeth."

"Scanty hair."

"Crawls about on his hands and feet."

"Hisses."

Elrohir threw himself upon the ground to imitate the creature, but Elladan kicked him and he promptly jumped back up again.

It had not escaped Elrond's notice that the twins had said there 'may' have been a creature in the Bruinen. It had escaped Gandalf's notice, however, perhaps because he was, as Elrohir had expected him to be, so eager for the tale to be true that he heard what he wanted to hear. He would not have been the first whose wishes had outpaced their ears.

It also did not escape Elrond's attention that Anomen was gazing upon the twins with open-mouthed astonishment. Why would Anomen be surprised that the twins had seen a creature that he himself had reported seeing? Elrond rounded on him. "You didn't mention that it was naked save for a breech clout," he said sharply.

'Um, it was in a tree," replied Anomen haltingly. "My view was not unobstructed," he went on, growing more confident, "so I cannot be sure of each and every particular. But it _may_ have been wearing a breech clout."

It was now the twins' turn to be astonished, and, again, Elrond made note of the fact. 'I suppose', he mused, 'it is a good sign that each is surprised at the report of the other. It rules out they're having gotten together to concoct this story. Besides, it is unlikely that they would collude in a matter such as this, for they would be at cross-purposes. No, I suppose there must be something to the tale, given that there have been two independent sightings."

If Gandalf was thinking rationally—not an assured proposition, mind you— he must have hit upon a similar idea. "Two witnesses," gloated the wizard. "I mean, three," he amended, remembering that the twins themselves counted as two.

"But what has brought the creature so near to Imladris?" Elrond wondered aloud.

"I have," Gandalf replied. "I suspect he has been following me in hopes that I will lead to—something he very much wishes to recover. Well, let him come! I shall merely have to stay put and let the creature wander within reach."

Elladan and Elrohir exchanged appalled glances. Had they been patient, Gandalf would have departed by and by. Now the wizard was sure to stay on until, well, until he gave over hope of laying hands on the creature anywhere in the vicinity of Rivendell. How long would that take?

Gandalf was beaming at the three young Elves.

"Well, lads, I have you to thank. I shall continue to sleep in a comfortable bed and eat at Elrond's board for some time to come. I wasn't looking forward to again having to take up residence under hedgerows and beneath outcrops."

Anomen returned his smile in full measure, but Elrond and Elladan could scarcely make their lips curve, a fact that once again set Elrond to wondering. Nevertheless, for the time being the interview was at an end. Elrond dismissed the elflings so that they might change for dinner, an act needful even for Anomen this night, he of the impeccable wardrobe.

As soon as the door had closed after Anomen and the twins, Elrohir and Elladan whirled about and stared accusingly at the younger Elf.

"There _is_ no creature," Elrohir declared angrily.

"If there isn't," Anomen said boldly, "how is it that you and Elladan saw it?"

Elrohir looked uncertainly at Elladan.

"Perhaps," suggested Elladan, "we ought to fess up—to Anomen, anyway."

"I suppose we should," said Elrohir. He turned to Anomen. "We didn't see the creature, but you didn't neither!"

"If you didn't see the creature, then why did you say that you did?"

Silence. Anomen smirked. "Thank you," he said loftily, for "corrugating my story."

"You mean corroborating," Elladan pointed out automatically. Elrohir dug his elbow into Elladan's side.

"Yes," said Anomen. "Thank you for carrob-, corrob-, um, backing up my story." He grinned and strolled away insouciantly. Elrohir would have ground his teeth, but his jaw was clenched too tightly for any such movement to be possible.

"Perhaps," Elladan tried again, "we ought to go to Ada and Mithrandir and tell them the truth."

"The truth!" exclaimed Elrohir. "The truth will get us into a great deal of trouble."

"Our lies may have already gotten us into a great deal of trouble," Elladan pointed out.

"_May_, Elladan _may_," retorted Elrohir. "At the moment we only _may_ be in trouble. If we confess to Ada and Mithrandir, we _will_ be in trouble!"

"I think," opined Elladan, "that henceforth we should leave caviling over terms to the philosophers. Elrohir, we _are_ going to be in trouble! The only question is when and how badly."

But Elrohir was not ready to give up.

"We have got to lay down a trail leading away from the Hall," he declared.

"How are we to do that?" Elladan asked wearily.

"Nothing easier," Elrohir assured him. "Mithrandir says that at the moment we, like the creature, are no bigger than a Perian full-grown, and of course the creature has hands and feet like ours. Tomorrow I shall slip away barefoot—you must cover for me, Elladan!—and crawling on my hands and feet, I shall lay a trail toward the Misty Mountains. It shall appear as if the creature was merely passing through Imladris, and off Mithrandir will go!"

Elladan was dubious about the chances that this plan would succeed, but, as usual, the arguments of the bolder—or more reckless!—twin held sway. And off they went to change for dinner, Elladan once again trailing unhappily behind his brother.


	5. Chapter 5: Identity Crisis

**Thanks to the following reviewers: _Haldir's Heart and Soul, Dragonfly, Silverstreak Wolf_, and _Joee_.**

**Beta Reader: Dragonfly is on vacation, so no one betaed this chapter. Good luck, Joee, as usual!**

The next morning Elladan and Elrohir presented themselves at the breakfast table as soon as the older Elves had taken their seats.

"Ada," said Elrohir, "since we went fishing yesterday, we did not spend any time practicing our archery. May we spend the entire day making up for that?"

"If Glorfindel would have no objection to your hanging about the training field the livelong day."

Glorfindel cast a suspicious eye at the twins, but, in the past having grumbled that they did not spend enough time practicing, he could think of no reason to deny them now.

Elrond turned to Anomen.

"And you, Anomen, since Mithrandir's arrival, you have spent very little time at your archery. I expect you will want to spend the day at the training field as well."

Anomen opened his mouth to say that he would not, but Elrond looked at him so sternly that he found himself meekly saying, "Yes, Ada."

When the elflings arrived at the training field, Elladan and Elrohir positioned themselves as far away from Glorfindel as possible, so that they were very nearly in the woods. Anomen, however, desirous of securing his safety, placed himself near the balrog-slayer. From time to time he cast an anxious eye in the direction of the twins. It was easy to espy them against the backdrop of the trees, for Elrohir was wearing a bright red tunic and Elladan an equally bright blue one.

By and by when Anomen glanced over at the twins, he saw only Elladan. Apparently Elrohir had stepped into the woods. As Anomen watched, Elladan, too strolled into the woods. Anomen returned to his shooting. When he looked over toward the woods again, he saw that Elrohir had reappeared, his bright red tunic shining in the sun. After awhile, Elrohir vanished back into the forest, and Elladan came out in his blue tunic.

So it went the entire day. Either Elrohir was visible in his red tunic or Elladan in his blue one, but they never seemed to be in the same place at the same time. At the noon meal, Elladan arrived promptly, ate hastily, and left early, and Elrohir rushed in late, as everyone else was departing, his head hanging as he muttered his apologies for his tardiness. He sat alone at the table, scavenging whatever was left of a very fine meal. The twins repeated the performance at the evening meal, and Elrond grew a little nettled—but not too nettled, as Elrohir was so obviously downcast, his head once again hanging so that his face could not be seen, his words muttered so apologetically as to be indistinct.

That evening, Anomen was getting ready for bed in the room that he and Gandalf now shared as a matter of course. Suddenly Anomen heard excited calls and quick footsteps. A servant knocked upon the door.

"I have come to fetch Master Mithrandir's bag."

"What has happened?"

"The scouts have found the creature's tracks, leading east, toward the Misty Mountains. Master Mithrandir departs upon the instant."

The servant strode to the wardrobe, seized Mithrandir's bag, and hastened away. Amazed, Anomen hurried after him. A knot of folk stood before the Hall bidding farewell to the wizard, who spared half a minute to tousle Anomen's hair.

"You shall want to go back to your old room now, Anomen, else you'll find yourself lonely. Stay well!"

With that the Istar turned and strode off rapidly. The knot of Elves disbanded, and Anomen, disconsolate, wandered into the garden. How was this possible? He caught a flash of red and saw an elfling disappearing behind the statue of Gil-galad. He sprang after the fugitive.

"Elladan!" he shouted as he rounded the statue.

Elladan stopped, startled.

"Good e'en to you, Anomen," he said carefully.

"Don't you 'good e'en' me! Where is Elrohir?"

"Hereabouts," replied Elladan, waving vaguely.

"Oh no he's not! He hasn't been 'hereabouts' since early this morning."

"How do you mean?" asked Elladan nervously.

"I mean, you are wearing a red tunic!"

Elladan looked down at the tunic, and his face turned a color that matched the garment nicely.

"Fess up, Elladan! Why have you been switching in and out of Elrohir's tunic? What have you and he done?"

"Elrohir has laid down a trail for Mithrandir to follow, that's all. That's not so dreadful a thing to have done," Elladan added defensively, "for you and I both know that he'll be wasting his time hanging about here."

"Dreadful or not, it was a stupid thing to have done," exclaimed Anomen. "What if Mithrandir should catch up with Elrohir?"

Elladan looked uncomfortable. "I suppose that would be very bad," he conceded.

"Bad? It would be worse than _bad_! Mithrandir will turn him into something awful. He will turn him into a, a, a—Dwarf!"

Elladan was horrified.

"Do you suppose Mithrandir will at least leave Elrohir his pointed ears?" he asked piteously.

"It won't matter if he does," retorted Anomen, "for his ears will be too hairy to be seen!"

Elladan began to weep.

"What shall we do? What shall we do?" he cried, his elven eyes turning as red as an Orc's.

"Let us hasten after Mithrandir straightaway," advised Anomen. "If there are three of us to deal with, perhaps he'll only make each of us a trifle hairy and a little shorter. We can hope so, at least."

"And if not?" said Elladan.

"Well, then," replied Anomen stoutly, "at least we shall each of us suffer alike."

"All for one and one for all?"

"Exactly!"

Whatever grudge Elladan may have harbored against Anomen on Elrohir's behalf, he must have abandoned it immediately at Anomen's willingness to help protect his twin from Gandalf's wrath. Eagerly he nodded his head, and the two elflings stole from the garden. Elladan led Anomen straightaway to the point at which Elrohir had begun to lay down his trail. There Anomen could see the tracks of a creature that clearly moved on all fours like a quadruped but that equally clearly possessed both hands and feet. There, too, were to be seen the marks of Gandalf's boots. From the length of the stride, Anomen and Elladan could tell that the Istar was moving quickly. "Hurry" cried Elladan, and the two broke into a run.

They would have run even faster had they realized how likely it was that Gandalf would indeed catch up with Elrohir. The young Elf had been discovering that a person accustomed to going about on two limbs cannot move very quickly on four.

"Double the number of limbs, but half the pace," he grumbled as he briefly stopped to rest, leaning his aching back against a tree and rubbing his shoulders. After a few minutes, he sighed and resumed his painful progress. 'I cannot stop', he said to himself, 'until I have reached a rocky patch to the east where Mithrandir would not be surprised at losing the trail. Until then I must leave tracks plain to see'.

Tracks plain to see did stretch in the elfling's wake—but Gandalf was not the only one to be following them. A few miles back, a creature sat on its haunches and intently studied the trail. Clad only in a loin cloth, it was a smallish, scrawny creature, no larger than a Perian, with scanty hair and bad teeth.

"What's this, Preciousssss?" it hissed. "What's thissssss? Walkses like ussss, it doesss."

In all his long years, Gollum had never come across another like himself. Yet here was a trail left by someone who scrambled about on hands and feet. Eagerly he began to follow the tracks.

"Maybe it likes usss, Preciousssss. Maybe it doesss. A friend, yessss, maybe it beess a friend."

Motivated by this thought, Gollum scrambled after the trail at great speed.

"A friend, yessss, a friend! Like ussss, it isssss, and likes us it doessss."

As Gollum scuttled along, another thought occurred to him.

"Issss it a he, or issss it a she, that's what we wants to know, Precioussssss. A he would be nice, but a she would be nicelier."

Gollum scrambled even faster. "A she Gollumses," he chortled, "a she Gollumses!"

Suddenly yet another thought occurred to him.

"A he Gollumses and a she Gollumses—that would mean some wee Gollumses!"

By now Gollum was well nigh galloping across the terrain, so excited was he at the thought of catching up with his presumed counterpart.

At about this time, Gandalf was standing thunderstruck staring down at a pair of tracks. "No," he cried. "It is not possible! There could not be two such creatures in all of Middle-earth."

The wizard bent down and examined the tracks closely. Yes, one set was slightly smaller than the other. There could be no doubt. Gollum was not alone. Gandalf considered what this might mean.

"In most species, the female is somewhat smaller than the male. Could it be that this is a breeding pair? But that would be dreadful! It is bad enough that one or even two such creatures haunts Arda, but three or four or more? No! That would be dreadful!"

Now it was Gandalf who was well-nigh galloping, his cloak billowing behind him as he pursued what he assumed were two of the same sort of creature. As he ran, he rehearsed in his mind snatches of spells for the countering of fertility. Some would prevent a creature from ever conceiving in the first place; others would prevent a pregnancy from being carried to term. Gandalf rarely had occasion to use either sort of spell, for he moved amongst peoples who welcomed the arrival of each infant. The Elves, in particular, cherished each young one, for the birth of a laes was a rare event. So as Gandalf ran, he was very much afraid that he would not be able to make sense of the fragments of spells that he was dredging up from his memory.

"No! no! That's not right," he muttered to himself. "That's for preventing the insertion of a key into a lock. May do nicely as a metaphor, but will have no practical effect. That one? Oh, bother! That has to do with stopping the fermentation of beer at just the right moment. A bit of Dwarvish magic I've never had occasion to use. It is very like one of the spells I am searching for, however."

And on he went, his mind running as fast as his legs. Gollum, meanwhile, had at last caught up with his 'better half'. From the cover of a bush, he watched Elrohir crawling his way across a clearing, his bottom waggling in the air. 'Is it a she Gollumses or a he Gollumses?' the creature asked himself anxiously. As Elrohir was fully clad save for his bare feet, it was difficult to tell. It is true, of course, that Elrohir wore leggings, not a usual garment for an elleth. Still, Gollum may be forgiven for being uncertain on the subject of Elrohir's gender. Young Elves, it must be confessed, are in appearance a bit on the androgynous side. (Some say that adult Elves are as well, but that is orcish nonsense.) The waggling bottom seemed promising, however, and Gollum began his stealthy approach. He had very nearly reached Elrohir before the elfling sensed that he was being followed. He spun about and fell upon his bottom in surprise. Leering at him was a creature no larger than a Perian, scrawny, with scanty hair and bad teeth, and dressed only in a loin cloth. The creature gave its best imitation of a smile.

"Give ussss a kisss, love," it chortled.

Elrohir let out a shriek that, high pitched as it was, convinced Gollum that he had indeed discovered his counterpart. He leaped upon Elrohir, who responded by kicking the creature. Barefoot though he was, Elrohir's foot connected with a particularly sensitive portion of Gollum's anatomy, and Gollum let out a shriek that was only a little less high-pitched than Elrohir's.

Nearby, Gandalf heard the twin shrieks and, although it hardly seemed possible, he began to run even faster than before. He burst into the clearing and saw Elrohir and Gollum rolling about in the dirt. Fortunately for Elrohir, Gandalf's amazement at this turn of events did not deprive him of the ability to act. He raised his staff and pointed it at the wrestling couple, looking for the opportunity to smite Gollum without harming Elrohir.

At about this time, Gollum had gotten a good enough grip on Elrohir to discover that the elfling lacked all she-Gollum bits. In his disappointment, the creature drew back a bit. CRACK! A bolt of light shot from Gandalf's staff. Yelping, Gollum leaped several feet into the air. When he landed, he scuttled from the clearing as if pursued by wargs. Gandalf briefly thought of following him, but then thought that he had better see to Elrohir. He strode toward the elfling, who lay panting upon the ground.

Seeing the wizard advancing upon him, Elrohir decided to throw himself upon Gandalf's mercy—literally, of course. He flung himself forward, landing on his knees before the wizard and clasping him about the legs.

"Mi-mi-mi-thwunder," he stuttered and sobbed. "Puh-puh-puhleeeeeese don't turn me into something dreadfully awful."

"No?" retorted Gandalf. "Shall I turn you into something merely awful rather than dreadfully so?"

In response, Elrohir began to keen like a wraith. By now, Elladan and Anomen had drawn near, and hearing their brother's cries, they began to scramble madly through the brush. Breaking past the last branches, they launched themselves at the wizard, landing flat on their bellies at his feet and frantically scrabbling for a grip on him.

Gandalf gazed down in astonishment. He had one wailing elfling attached to his legs and two others clinging to his ankles. He raised his voice and bellowed.

"Here now! If you don't unhand me at once I shall turn you into something dreadfully appropriate—burrs, I should think!"

The elflings at once threw themselves backwards, away from the wizard, and landed in a tangled heap, arms and legs flailing. Gandalf was momentarily put in mind of an upended insect waving its legs in the air and briefly toyed with the thought of transforming the combined younglings into such a beast. The idea was only a passing fancy, however. For now he merely wanted to stop their mouths.

"Silence," he thundered, "or I shall render each of you as mute as a newt!"

This threat had the desired effect, and three quaking but quiet younglings peered out at the wizard from the heap of limbs, their eyes big as an owlet's. This put Gandalf in mind of another spell, but, as before, he suppressed the urge to indulge himself.

"On your feet," he growled. "If you can find them!" he added.

After struggling for several minutes, Elladan managed to detach himself from the knot of bodies, and Elrohir and Anomen soon followed.

"You," Gandalf harrumphed at Elrohir, "fetch the camp kettle from my pack and find a stream. You," he said, turning to Elladan, "gather sticks. And you"—this last to Anomen—"collect stones for a fire ring."

Relieved to be given tasks that would delay the moment of reckoning, the elflings hastened to do as they were bidden. Meanwhile, Gandalf sat himself down, resting his back against the trunk of a tree, and considered what to do. Now that the elflings had subsided into silence, he actually found the situation rather amusing. Of course, he was disappointed that he hadn't captured Gollum, but he knew that he would never even have drawn near the creature if it hadn't been for Elrohir. For he now perceived that the tracks that led away from Rivendell must have been the elfling's.

'They must be punished', he said to himself, 'but I needn't do it straightaway. Besides', he added, 'as soon as they have been punished, they will begin to recover themselves. And it would not be good if they thus quickly regained their spirits, for Anomen may seek to reattach himself to me, and that wouldn't do at all'. For Gandalf at last understood what needed to be set right! 'No', he concluded, 'better to leave them in suspense so that they will be driven to huddle together like newborn kittens, each comforting the other'.

And so, maintaining a grim façade, Gandalf doled out bread and cheese and tea to the younglings, who in their anxiety that night did indeed huddle together like little newborn animals.


	6. Chapter 6: Love Hangs by a Thread

**Folks, this is probably my last post before my daughter and I vanish on vacation to London.**

**_Fluffy's_****_ fangirls:_ Of course, one could argue that Elladan should put up more of a fight when Elrohir tries to drag him into one escapade or another.**

**_Opalkitty:_**** Any 'punishments' will be highly appropriate, as per usual. Elrond is really into the 'teachable moment' school of parenting.**

**_Joee_: You are the one who should be called Elf Eye! Thank you for pointing out those two errors, which have now been corrected. By the way, have you checked out my profile lately? I finally got around to acting on all those messages I've received from people suggesting that I REALLY needed to update the list of stories.**

**_Haldir's Heart and Soul:_ As per request, one update!**

**Beta Reader: Again, _Dragonfly_ is on vacation, so I'm going out on the proverbial limb here and posting without a net. _Joee_, that is your cue, of course!**

The next morning Gandalf heard hoof beats, as he knew he should. He did not even raise his head when Elrond and his company of scouts cantered into the clearing.

"Mae govannen," he said, poking at the fire with a stick. "You have arrived just in time for a spot of tea. I suppose," he continued, pointing with his beard toward the knot of sleeping elflings, "that you are seeking yonder scamps. They are well, although somewhat chastened."

Elrond dismounted from his horse and bent over to examine the elflings where they lay spooned together, Anomen tucked between Elladan and Elrohir. After a moment he straightened up and gave a relieved smile.

"Yes, my friend, they are well. Now tell me how they came here—and explain to me a great mystery. For not far from here we saw the tracks of a second creature join those of the first."

"Indeed you did not," said Gandalf placidly, using the edge of his robe to grasp the handle of the camp kettle as he poured tea into a battered cup.

Elrond raised an eyebrow.

"My friend, are you asking me to doubt the evidence of my eyes?"

"Yes," Gandalf replied simply. 'Ah, there goes the second eyebrow', he chortled to himself as the elf-lord reacted as the wizard had hoped he would. Aloud he said, "Elrond, you saw two sets of tracks, it is true, but you may not conclude from that fact that there is a second creature—unless, of course, you want to throw in your lot with those who are of the opinion that elven and human young are to be classed with quadrupeds rather than bipeds."

Both of his eyebrows being canted, Elrond now could only express himself by further elevating them. 'Almost to the hairline', Gandalf said cheerfully to himself, 'but I fear I have no other surprises to spring upon him. Pity, really."

Sure enough, Elrond's eyebrows subsided in due course.

"If I am understanding you aright, you are saying that one set of tracks was laid down by an elfling."

"You are, as always, a paragon of perception, Elrond."

"I suppose those tracks would be the ones that you followed from Imladris."

"A sensible supposition, that."

"I know the trail was not laid down by Anomen, for I saw him about the Hall after your departure. Besides, he did not wish you to leave and thus would hardly be the one to lure you away from Imladris. One of the twins must have been the culprit. I thought that I observed them both after you left, but I see I was deceived. One remained to maintain the charade that they both were in attendance—Elladan, no doubt, for Elrohir would have had the greater desire to see you gone from the Hall."

"You are correct. Elrohir laid down the tracks, and Elladan stayed behind to cover for him."

The elflings in question began to stir, and Elrohir's eyes came into focus.

"Ada!" he shouted and scrambled to his feet. He knew he was in no less trouble, but the prospect of punishment at the hands of his father was less fearsome than that of retribution at the end of a wizard's staff.

His shout awoke the other two, and soon Elrond found himself engulfed by elflings who clung to him as desperately as they had clung to Gandalf the day before. Elrond was pleased to see that Anomen was no less frantic than the other two. Above the heads of the young ones, Elrond exchanged a smile with Gandalf. The elf-lord's smile was a wholehearted one, but Gandalf's was a trifle wistful. He knew what he must do.

"Now that you have arrived on the scene," he declared to Elrond, "I may as well get on with my journey. No sense in returning to the Hall when I have come this far along my path. You will of course see to their punishment. Elrohir, especially, has gone to a great deal of trouble to fool me—why, I cannot guess!"

"Of course I will see to their punishment." Elrond said solemnly, although the smile never left his eyes.

"Very good. I'm off then," said Gandalf, picking up the now-cool camp kettle and placing it in his pack.

Elladan and Elrohir each let go of their father with one hand in order to seize hold of Anomen. Anomen, however, although he turned his head toward Gandalf, gave no sign of releasing his grip on Elrond.

"Mithrandir," he said softly. "I'm ever so sorry for all the trouble we've caused you."

"You should be," the wizard said gruffly. Although," he added, "at least you have set me on my way."

"You will come back, won't you?" Anomen asked hopefully, encouraged by the wizard's latter statement.

"Indeed I shall," Gandalf promised. "Elrond keeps too good a table for me to do otherwise. And the beds are very comfortable—when they are dry, that is!"

All three elflings winced at those words, but Gandalf winked at them before grasping his staff and striding off through the trees.

"Let us now return to Imladris," said Elrond after the wizard had vanished from view. "Where you may be sure that this matter will be discussed," he added, but his voice was gentle.

The elven searchers had brought a spare horse, and Elrond lifted the elflings upon it, first Elladan, then Anomen, last of all Elrohir. Elladan clung to the horse's mane, Anomen to Elladan, and Elrohir to Anomen. All three elflings found this arrangement to be an agreeable one, but especially Anomen and Elrohir. Those two felt melancholy when they neared Rivendell, for each wondered when they ever again would feel so close one to the other.

When they arrived at Rivendell, they dismounted before the Hall, and Elrond said, "You will go at once to the chamber that you share." The elflings did not fail to notice that he put great emphasis on the word 'share', and they obediently chorused, "Yes, Ada."

Off the young Elves trooped to their room. As they entered it, Anomen glanced toward the corner where Elrohir's bow had stood. He had cherished the hope that Elrohir had contrived to fix the bow. Sadly, he saw that the corner was empty. Sighing, he sat upon his bed and bent down to pull off his boots. When he raised his head, Elrohir was standing before him. In his hand he clutched three leather thongs, each with a small wooden pendant dangling from it. He held out one of the thongs to Anomen.

"What is this?" Anomen asked in surprise.

"Just something I made," Elrohir said stiffly. "You needn't take it if you don't want it. Perhaps it's too plain for you, what with your princely manners and all."

In spite of his attempts to dissemble, Anomen could not help carry himself like the prince that he was, and Elrohir had often twitted him on that account in the past. Anomen could tell, however, that he wasn't twitting him now. He merely feared that his offering would be found unworthy. Anomen reached out his hand.

"Thank you, Elrohir," he said simply. He held up the pendant and examined it. It was carved with the patterns that had decorated Elrohir's bow. Suddenly he realized that it was in fact a piece of that object. He looked at Elrohir in amazement.

"Couldn't fix the bow," Elrohir said gruffly. "The carvings were very fine, however, and I thought, even if the bow could no longer be used as such, it could serve in another fashion. So I picked three sections and shaped them into pendants."

"It is beautiful," said Anomen, and he tied the thong about his neck. Within seconds, Elladan and Elrohir had donned their pendants as well.

"All for one and one for all," grinned Elladan. Anomen and Elrohir grinned back at him.

"When I touch this pendant," said Elrohir happily, "I shall think of my Naneth, but I shall also think of you, Elladan, and you, Anomen."

And then, tucking their pendants into their tunics to keep them safe, the elflings proceeded to wrestle and roughhouse, shouting and hooting merrily until at length they were all lying upon the floor laughing so hard that Elladan came down with hiccups that only ceased when Elrohir poured an ewer of cold water upon his head and shoulders.

It was nearly suppertime before Elrond sent for the elflings. "I believe I know the answers to the questions I shall ask," Elrond sighed to Glorfindel, "but I should go through the motions nonetheless. This feud between Anomen and the twins must be put to rest."

When the elflings filed into his chamber, however, he was surprised to see that all were grinning. Oddly as well, Elladan's head and tunic were wet. In spite of his puzzlement, though, Elrond commenced catechizing the young ones.

"Anomen," he began, "did you see Mithrandir's creature hereabouts?"

"No, Ada," Anomen replied, adopting a serious manner.

"And you, Elladan?"

"No, Ada."

"Elrohir?"

"I did see the creature, of course, but not hereabouts."

"And you laid down a false trail?"

"Yes, Ada."

"Anomen, why did you tell such a lie?"

"To persuade Mithrandir to stay."

"And you, Elladan and Elrohir, what was your reason for lying?"

"To persuade Mithrandir to leave."

"Anomen, why were you so anxious to keep Mithrandir about?"

"I didn't think Elladan and Elrohir wanted anything to do with me."

"Elladan and Elrohir, why were you so anxious to send Mithrandir packing?

Replied Elladan, "We were afraid that Anomen would not return to us."

"So you told variations of the same lie, but for the selfsame reason, because you were bereft of one another's company."

Each elfling nodded his head.

"It was rather unfair to Mithrandir, don't you think, to drag him into the middle of your machinations? Don't you think you might have found a better way to address your problem without making it Mithrandir's as well?"

To the surprise of everyone, it was Elrohir who spoke next. "I might have told Anomen that I, well, that I am very fond of him."

Elrond hid his smile. It meant much that Elrohir would say that he was 'fond of' Anomen. The elf-lord looked toward Anomen. The elfling looked back and smiled. Good. Anomen knew what Elrohir meant even if the older elfling was as yet incapable of speaking with utter plainness. Indeed, perhaps he never would say, "Anomen, I love you," just as he might never declare his love for Arwen or Elladan or Elrond himself. But there could be no doubt about the matter.

Indeed there was not. Elrohir may have kept his love for Anomen 'close to his chest', but so too he kept that pendant. All three of the elflings bore their pendants wheresoever they went. As Frodo trudged alongside the members of the Fellowship, the Ring hidden on a chain beneath his shirt, Legolas, too, had his hidden jewel, a bid of wood dangling from a leathern string. Of course, Legolas' pendant was a much more wholesome one than Frodo's. Its touch was comforting, whilst Frodo's Ring was as a fiery coal laid next to his skin.

One night, as Legolas and Gimli were undressing after one of the feasts celebrating the coronation of Aragorn, Legolas gave a cry of dismay.

"What is the matter, O Prince of Cleanliness?" chortled Gimli. "Have you a stain upon your tunic?"

Legolas held out his hand. In it rested what looked like a large wooden bead whose topmost part had broken away.

"Now I shall not be able to wear it about my neck," said Legolas mournfully, "for, see, the eyelet portion has been lost. I suppose I _could_ drill a new hole, but part of the design would be destroyed."

Gimli took the pendant from Legolas' hand and studied it.

"I could devise a setting for it," he observed, "that would allow you to suspend it from a chain. If I did so, I should be careful not to obscure the carving."

Elves were not given to bear hugs—or 'dwarf hugs' as they called them—but Legolas threw his arms about Gimli.

"Thank you, my friend!" the Elf cried. "It would mean much to me if you would do so."

The next day Gimli carried the pendant to a smithy and begged leave to use the forge. Permission was granted gladly, for in Minas Tirith Gimli was already quite popular with all manner of smiths, whether of gold or silver or iron or tin. Gimli removed several of the Mithril devices from his own garments and from them created a slender yet strong setting into which to slip the pendant. From the remaining metal, he created a matching chain. When he had finished, rather than the carving being obscured, its beauty was accentuated.

"Here ye be," he said to Legolas when he returned to the chamber they shared. "No!" he objected as Legolas began to thank him profusely. "You need say nothing. And _don't_ hug me!"

"I seem to remember you hugging Aragorn," teased Legolas, "when he reappeared at Helm's Deep after you thought he had fallen."

Gimli turned a brighter red than usual, thus demonstrating that Elves were not the only inhabitants of Middle-earth who might feel awkward about public displays of emotion. But it is not always necessary to say or pantomime that one loves another—not as long as one is able to act upon one's love. And in that respect, in the end neither Gimli nor Elrohir were deficient. And so, from that point on, whenever Legolas felt the pendant against his chest, he bethought himself of not only Elladan and Elrohir but of Gimli as well. Thus it was that a simple pendant became endowed with a power that no massy Ring could ever have matched—nor no bow, neither.

FIN


End file.
